All elections polls without exception, are unfavorable to the Shas party. Many of the polls show Shas will not receive the minimum mandate to enter Knesset, which is four seats. Other polls show Shas scraping by with four seats.

This has led some to begin contemplating a joint chareidi list, Shas teaming up with Yahadut Hatorah. In an interview given to the chareidi newspaper HaDerech, Shas leader Aryeh Deri states emphatically that the party will remain independent and run on its own. He explained that prior to the establishment of Shas, if an offer of achdus would have been made it would be a different story. But today, after the fact, with each party having its own Moetzas Gedolei Torah, Shas’ rabbonim do not favor such a move.

When asked if Shas would sit in a coalition headed by Yair Lapid, based on polls showing Yesh Atid and Likud are the leading parties, Deri stated he is not ruling out any person or party. That said, he added he finds it most difficult to envision a scenario in which Yair Lapid succeeds in building a coalition with 61 members.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)